Dear Robert Kirkman

In Issue 154 "Led to Slaughter" of "The Walking Dead" comic books, Robert Kirkman addressed the fans about the television show's season finale cliff hanger. Is it everything I wanted the letter to be? Nope. But, he did address us fans personally and referenced Star Trek. It counts as something; more than something, actually. It is the first time us fans have been personally addressed since Negan killed one of our friends (I break down who I think died here). Below is Kirkman's letter.

I have penned an open response to Robert.

Dear Robert Kirkman,

Thank you! Thank you for creating a world and letting me play in it. Thank you for giving me characters to love (Rick and Jesus), characters to hate (the Governor and Dwight), and characters to learn from (Hershel and Dale). Thank you for creating strong female leads that make me proud to be woman like Michonne and Maggie. Also, thank you for taking the time to address us, the fans.

I personally do not think you and the other "powers that be" were trying to intentionally anger us, nor do I think you were trying to force us to come back. "The Walking Dead" television series is large enough that you do not have to resort to trickery like that. You know that, I know that, and reasonable fans know that as well.

​You did accomplish your goal of getting us talking. In my blog alone, I have 6 out of 12 posts that reference the finale in one way or another. In many ways, my frustration with the season finale, was the last push for starting the blog. However, I think you are underestimating how much we talked about season 4 finale, when you left them in a box car waiting to be food for the hipster. Or how about season 5 finale when you left Rick and Morgan in diametrically opposed ideologies in a literal face off? We fans talked and talked a lot!

The theories were fun BEFORE the finale. We were talking everywhere about it. Non comic book people asking the comic book people about Negan. Comic book people rereading every frame dealing with Negan, so we could be a bit haughty with those who don't read the comics. After the finale was over, we had lost one of our friends. We are a fandom in deep grief, yet we don't know for whom we grieve. We do not have hope. Someone we love is dead. The rest of the group is traumatized. We are frustrated and angry. We are RIGHTLY frustrated and angry.

​I understand that you were trying to top yourselves, but you went too far. You made a mistake. You have left the fandom in confused grief for more than half a year. When Dallas shot JR, we knew who was in danger of dying. When Star Trek turned Picard into a Borg, we knew who was in danger of dying. Yvette Nicole Brown said recently on The Talking Dead, "You can't get mad if you watch soap operas, and they kiss. You can't get mad if you watch an apocalypse show, and people die." You have left us in grief before. You kill off beloved characters. We have followed you on that journey. You forgot to lead us to the end of this journey. You left us in the woods with a madman and a bat and a dead friend. AND we are helpless to do anything but wait in that place of confused terror and sadness until you lead us out in October.

Yes, we are mad. Yes, we will be back in October. Fix your mistake the best you can.